1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a double lock connector, and more particularly to a double lock connector, which has a pair of detecting pin inserting portions for detecting the presence of a pair of terminal-engaging spacers to be inserted in a connector housing of the connector, and a detecting method for the spacers.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 shows a conventional double lock connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 62-188186.
This double lock connector (hereinafter, a connector) 55 is made up of a male connector housing 56 made of synthetic resin, terminals 57,58 each having electric wire and to be inserted into a terminal accommodating chamber of the connector housing 56, and a pair of side spacers (hereinafter, spacers) 59,60 of synthetic resin for double-locking the terminals, which spacers are inserted into the connector housing 56 from a direction crossing at right angles to an inserting direction of the terminal 57,58.
The spacers 59,60 each are formed of a rectangular base plate portion 61 and a plurality of combtooth-like engaging rods 62 protrusively-provided on the base plate portion 61. The length and thickness of the respective engaging rods 62 are different according to size, shape, and location of the terminals 57,58. Accommodation grooves 64 for the respective base plate portions 61 of the spacers 59,60 and insertion holes 65 for the engaging rods 62 are formed on the longer sidewalls 63 of the connector housing 56. The insertion holes 65 are provided on a bottom of the accommodation groove 64, which accommodation groove 64 continues without limited by shorter sidewalls 66. That is, both ends 64a of the accommodation groove 64 are positioned on the respective shorter sidewalls 66.
The terminals 57,58 are of female terminals and have respective electrically contacting portions 67,68 on the front half thereof and connecting portions 69,70, on the rear half thereof, on which electric wires 71,72 are pressure-weld. The terminals 57,58 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber from the back of the connector housing 56 and are engaged with resilient engaging lances (not illustrated) at respective engaging portions 73. Subsequently, the spacers 59,60 are inserted, and the engaging rods 62 abut against the rear ends of the electrically contacting portions 67,68 of the terminals 57,58. Therefore, the terminals 57,58 are double locked, and coming-off of the terminals 57,58 caused by the withdrawal of electric wires 71,72 is completely prevented.
The terminals 57,58 may be inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers with the spacers 59,60 being in a state of provisional engagement (i.e. semi-insertion) with the connector housing 56, and then the spacers 59,60 may be finally engaged (i.e. complete insertion) with the connector housing 56. When the terminals 57,58 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers of the connector housing 56, if the terminals 57,58 are in a state of the incomplete insertion, the ends of the engaging rods 62 of the spacers 59,60 abut against the electrically contacting portions 67,68 of the terminals 57,58. That is, because the spacers 59,60 can not be inserted into the connector housing 56, the incomplete insertion of the terminals 57,58 can be detected.
The above connector 55 is coupled to the mating female connector (not illustrated), and male terminals (not illustrated) provided inside a connector coupling chamber of the female connector are inserted into front openings 74,75 of the terminal accommodating chambers of the connector housing 56 so as to be connected with the electrically contacting portions 67,68 of the terminals 57,58. A nut portion 76 to make a screw connection with the mating connector is arranged at the center of the connector housing 56.
FIG. 7 shows a spacer detecting method of the above double lock connector 55. This spacer detecting method is carried out with use of a terminal continuity testing member 78. A pair of detection switches 81 each having a detecting pin 80 are provided on lower portions of a connector holding portion 79 of the terminal continuity testing member 78, while opposing to a pair of spacers 59,60 inserted into the connector housing 56. A pair of detection switch 81 having the detecting pin 80 is provided with toward the lower part of the connector holding portion 79 of the terminal continuity testing member 78 oppositely to a pair of the spacer 59,60 inserted into inside the connector housing 56.
The terminal continuity testing member 78 is provided with the above connector holding portion 79 having a right-and-left pair of auxiliary guides 90, a continuity testing portion 82 capable of sliding in the axial direction and arranged opposite to the connector holding portion 79, horizontal guide bars 83 being put through the continuity testing portion 82, a link 84 connected to the continuity testing portion 82, and a lever 86 having a rotary portion 85 connected to the link 84. The above detecting pin 80 of the detection switch 81 is upwardly slidably provided on a bottom wall 87.
When the connector 55 is set on the connector holding portion 79 in a state that base plate portions 61 of the spacers 59,60 are in vertical, the ends 61a of the base plate portions 61 of the spacers 59,60 push the detecting pins 80 to activate the detection switches 81, whereby the presence of the spacers 59,60 is detected.
Probe pins 89 in the continuity testing portion 82 are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers from the front openings 74,75 (FIG. 6) of the connector housing 56 by making the continuity testing portion 82 connect with the connector 55 by operating the lever 86 and come into contact with the front ends of the terminals 57,58 (FIG. 6), whereby a continuity test of the terminals 57,58 is carried out.
With respect to the above conventional double lock connector and the spacer detecting method therefor, however, because the accommodation grooves 64 for the base plate portions 61 of the spacers 59,60 are formed over the full width of the sidewalls 63, the rigidity of the connector housing 56 is likely to become weak. If the sidewalls 63 of the connector housing 56 are formed thicker in order to enhance the rigidity, the connector housing 56 is enlarged. And, the spacers 59,60 are enlarged because the base plate portions 61 have to be lengthened unnecessarily.
Also, in the terminal continuity testing member 78 of FIG. 7, because the detection switches 81 are arranged on the right-and-left lower portions of the connector holding portion 79, the terminal continuity testing member 78 is enlarged in height and width directions, whereby a big space is required, for example, when the wiring harness 88 is assembled and the handling becomes worse because of increase in the weight. If the pair of detection switches 81 are arranged in the auxiliary guides 90 instead of the bottom wall 87, the structure is further enlarged.
And, the presence of the spacers 59,60 is inspected and subsequently the continuity of the terminals 57,58 is tested, which requires time and trouble and makes the structure of the terminal continuity testing member 78 complicated, thereby raising the cost and making the structure enlarged. Further, the thin ends of the detecting pins 80 have to abut against the narrow ends of the spacers 59,60, the detecting accuracy is not good.